Moonlighting
by Poppy471
Summary: It's the summer after the Breakfast Club broke up and went their separate ways. Chance brings two of them back together. This is a new rendition of "The Last Laugh." M for drugs and a bit of sex, a bit of violence.
1. Ice Cream and Diamonds

**Chapter One**

**Ice Cream and Diamonds**

Flushed skin, soft lips. Bender strokes her luscious curves and she presses against him. He tries slipping one hand under her shirt. She responds, encouraging him. Her taut skin is silk under his fingers as his hand travels up, up, up, to her bra-

The garage door grinds up.

Shit. Her parents are home. They bolt upright, straightening their clothes. She wipes at some lipstick on his cheek. When her parents enter the kitchen, they are demurely sitting on opposite ends of the couch, watching some stupid TV program.

Mr. Cramer comes in and Bender stands, acting the respectful suitor. Which is pretty funny. Everyone knows Missy Cramer is the fastest girl around. But he wants to come back, so he is all 'yes sir, no sir'.

Finally he's out on the street. Damn. He thought for sure he'd get lucky tonight. And he would have if her parents had stayed out an hour longer.

The still night air cools him down and his frustration recedes. It's almost midnight. Everything is quiet and wet with dew. As he walks past a row of Victorian houses, he smells something rich and flowery— Jasmine?

"Bender."

The soft voice comes from the shade of a porch, the house behind it dark. He stops, investigates the shadows and sees a small figure sitting on the steps. Her dark clothes blend in with the night, but he can see her pale face in the moonlight. Allison Reynolds.

"Hey, Al. What's up?"

"Just sitting, looking at the moon. Breathing."

He hasn't seen her since the Breakfast Club broke up last autumn, everyone going their separate ways. Claire and Andy went off to college, he started his job at Jiffy Lube, and Allison… who knows what she's been doing.

"May I?" He gestures to the step next to her.

She shrugs. He sits, taps out a cigarette and lights it. It's nice here in the dark. He looks up at the moon, a bright slender crescent.

After a while, he says, "Whatcha been up to since last fall?"

"I graduated last week."

"Oh, I forgot you're a year younger than the rest of us. I guess the Dweeb is still in school?"

"Yes, he'll be a junior next year."

"You ever hear from Andy or Claire?"

"Claire's been too busy to talk much. She's very active on campus."

"And Sporto?"

"I hear Andy is doing well on the wrestling team at UI. You don't talk to either of them?"

"Nah, Cherry and I decided on a clean break. Easier on both of us."

"Yes, we had our time together and it's over. I still miss Andy sometimes."

"Claire sort of grew on me too."

They sit quietly and let the peaceful night wash over them.

Bender reluctantly gets to his feet. Gotta work tomorrow.

"I'll see you Al."

"Bye."

* * *

Missy is becoming more trouble than he bargained for. Today she insisted on ice cream, so he brought her to Brewer's. She hung all over him while they stood in line, and now she is trying to hold hands with him as they eat their ice cream.

"Jesus, Missy, how can I eat this with one hand? Let go."

Just as he disentangles his hand he looks over Missy's head and sees Allison in line. When she glances over, he raises one eyebrow, but Missy is now trying to dab at his face with a napkin. He returns his attention to defending himself from Missy's affections.

Finally, finally, Missy has finished her ice cream and it's time for her to go home. She has to babysit her little brother at two. Thank god. As they step onto the sidewalk, he sees Allison sitting at the window, staring off into space.

"I gotta hit the can. You go on, Missy, you don't want to be late."

Bender escapes with the minimum of kisses he can manage. When he steps back inside, Allison is still sitting at the window, meditatively licking her ice cream cone. He slips into the chair opposite her.

"What's up Al?"

"Where's Missy?" she replies caustically.

"She had to go home to babysit her brother. She was getting boring anyway. I don't hang out with Missy for witty conversation."

Allison's only comment is a derisive "Hah!"

"I don't come to you for unconditional love either. Shit, woman. You're all more trouble than you're worth." Looking out the window, he asks, "You still on probation?"

"Mine's up next week. What about you?"

"I turned 18 last January. They had to let me off."

Allison can keep her mouth shut when she wants to. She never mentioned their stay in juvie, even though he goaded her with it in detention. 'I've seen you before, you know.' She had been the weirdo who always sat in corners, but he noticed her. Gotta stay sharp and know what's going on around you.

"What were you in there for, Al?" He'd been in juvie for possession.

"Shoplifting."

"What the hell were you shoplifting to get in so much trouble?"

"Diamonds."

"No way! You're putting me on. How would you steal diamonds?"

"I kept asking to look at new ring trays, and palmed one. At the pawn shop. They had cameras. That's how they busted me." Allison sighs. "I'll be more careful next time."

"Next time? Going to juvie didn't cure you of sticky fingers?"

"Did it cure you of smoking reefer?"

During this conversation Bender has been absentmindedly fiddling with Allison's sketch book. Now he opens it.

"Hey! You can't look in there!"

The sketch he opens it to is a sketch of his face. He seems to be bending over, a spangled night sky behind him.

Allison lunges for the book, but Bender holds it out of her reach. He puts up one finger, as if asking her to wait, and inspects the sketch.

Allison settles back, scowling at him.

Finally he lowers the book and hands it back.

"It's good, Al."

She grabs the book and stuffs it in her purse.

"You shit." She glares at him.

"No, really, that's a good picture."

"It's my personal stuff. You had no right."

She stands up and moves toward the door, but Bender grabs her sleeve.

"I'm sorry Allison."

She looks down at him. He releases her and she yanks her arm away. She is still scowling when she pushes out the ice cream shop door.

* * *

_AN: Let me send out a big thank you to my beta,_ _printmaker._


	2. Mickey Finn

**Chapter Two**

**Mickey Finn**

Ian and Todd meet him on the corner at ten o'clock and they head down to the river. Bender, the oldest and the one with the best fake ID gets them some brews at the Pak'N'Pay.

"C'mon man, this isn't free. You gotta chip in," Bender reminds them. Ian always tries to get out of putting up his share, but it takes more guile than he has to fool Bender. "Cough it up."

They enter the riverside park the back way, sneaking under a broken fence, avoiding the parking spots where the rich kids and jocks hang out. Andy and Claire had partially bridged the gap between the Breakfast Club and the popular kids, but Bender has no desire to see Stubby Boardman or anyone else for that matter. Buncha fakes.

They get settled in at their usual bench with a joint passing around and a beer apiece. The moon looks nice on the river. It's almost full.

Todd laughs and says, "Bender, you're turning into such a wuss. How'd you get away from Missy this time?"

"Told her I had a headache. And I might be a wuss, but at least I'm getting some. More than you can say."Bender punches him on the arm. "You're still a virgin."

"I am NOT a virgin." Todd says vehemently.

They keep passing the joint until it burns their fingers. This is the way life should be, good friends, doobage, a warm night with a full moon. Bender stumbles into the grove of trees behind them to piss. Through the trees he can see the rich kids at their picnic table. He's aimlessly looking at them as he zips up when he sees something not right. Stubby has a girl thrown over his shoulder. He moves closer to see better. He knows those Converse shoes. What the hell? Is that Allison? Yes, it is.

Without thinking he bounds out of the grove and shouts, "What the fuck you think you're doing?"

Stubby turns. He's strong, but even he is laboring under the weight of a full grown girl.

"Shut it, wastoid. This isn't your business."

"It's my business when it's my friend."

Another guy advances towards Bender.

"We say it isn't. Get lost before we beat the shit out of you."

Taking a deep breath, Bender shouts as loud as he can, "Todd! Ian!"

Stubby and his friend look at each other. They evidently thought Bender had been alone.

Thrashing sounds come from the trees, and Todd and Ian emerge, looking around. Todd has gotten a job doing construction work and is a formidable looking 6'3''. Although he is shorter, Ian is pretty intimidating as well. The two guys approach, both sizing up the situation as they come.

When Bender whips out his switchblade and it snaps open, Todd and Ian follow suit. The uncertainty that had been growing on Stubby's face turns to fear. He exchanges a look with his friend.

"Take her, then." Stubby dumps Allison with no care for her safety. As he and his friend hurry to their car, Bender jumps forward, just in time to break her fall. By the time Todd and Ian make their way down from the trees, Stubby is peeling out.

Bender ends up sitting awkwardly with Allison in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder. He tries to prop her up, saying, "Al. Allison. Wake up. Can you hear me? C'mon, wake up."

She barely lifts her head and opens her eyes just a fraction. She whispers "Bender, how..." and closes her eyes again.

"Allison. Allison, wake up." But it's no use, she's completely out. How on earth had this happened? What could have possibly brought her and Stubby together at the river, and why was she drugged? Well, his questions will have to wait. He has to get her to his house.

Between the three of them, they manage to get her to Bender's. She partially wakes and is able to walk part of the way, supported on both sides. Thank god the old man is out at Smokey's Tavern. They get her upstairs to his room and lay her in his bed.

Bender is paging through a Wolverine comic book when Allison groans. She opens her blood shot eyes and looks around.

Bender is relieved she's finally woken up. It is almost two in the morning.

"Where am I?" Her voice is a tiny squeak.

"You're at my house. You feel like shit?"

She nods. Bender hands her a glass of water and a couple of aspirin.

"Go back to sleep Al. You'll feel better when you wake up. Drink all of that water."

* * *

Bender wakes, wondering why he has his clothes still on, and then sees Allison and remembers. She's propped up, looking at his year book.

"Memory lane, eh?"

She snorts and closes the book.

Bender holds out another glass of water. "Man, you had me worried."

"Bender, how did I get here?"

"We mostly carried you. You couldn't walk."

"But what happened?"

"What's the last thing you remember, Al?"

"Stubby. Stubby Boardman, and putting down a can of Coke."

"You shouldn't have taken that Coke, Al. He put a mickey finn in it."

"He gave me drugs? Why?"

"Think about it. What would Stubby do with a girl who can't defend herself?"

Allison thinks about this, seems to come up with an answer.

"Thank you. For taking care of me, I mean."

"Hey, no prob. But if you do this again, do me a favor? Loose a few pounds. You're no light weight. My back is killing me. What were you doing down there anyway?"

"Asshole. I'm working on a painting, the river at night."

"Well, that's not the best place to go by yourself."

They walk up to the corner and part ways, Allison into the nice section of town and Bender towards downtown, where he works at Jiffy Lube.

* * *

Work is rough today because he didn't get enough sleep and his back really does hurt from carrying Allison. When he gets off, Missy is waiting for him. Great. She greets him enthusiastically, hugs and kisses, won't let him go. Jesus, she's like some kind of face-sucking octopus. Her parents will be going out tonight, so she wants him to come over. Really, is all this worth getting some booty? She's got a nice ass, though. He shrugs inwardly.

* * *

It's past midnight when he leaves. Another cool, dewy night. When Allison quietly calls his name from the shadows again, he isn't surprised. Some part of him had been hoping she'd be out tonight. He sits a few steps down from her.

"What do ya say Al?"

"I have something for you. Wait."

Bender breathes in the jasmine and looks at some little flower things along the walk. The colors seem more intense than usual, purple and yellow. He is contemplating this when Allison returns. She hands him something in a clear glossy envelope. Inside is a matted sketch, a sketch of his own face.

"This is really good," he says.

He holds it out, to hand it back to her, but she says, "No, that's for you."

It's like she's given him a piece of herself. "Thanks, Al."

* * *

The shit hits the fan with Missy the next day. When he gets off work she's there waiting for him, but for once, she's not all hugs and kisses. She walks up and slaps him.

"Hey, what the fuck was that for?"

"You've been cheating on me!"

"What? Who? What are you talking-"

Missy cuts him off. "Don't lie to me. She was in your bedroom. All night. Todd told me."

Man, why did Todd have to mention that?

"She's not- We don't- No, I'm not cheating on you with her."

"What was she doing in there then?"

"She was sleeping off some god awful drug Stubby Boardman-"

"I knew that freak did drugs. And you slept with her!"

"Don't call her a freak."

"So you don't deny she was in your room all night?"

Bender decides it is time to give up.

"Yes Missy, she was in my room all night and we spent the whole night making sweet, sweet love to each other."

"You bastard!"

He sighs. She never did know when he was being sarcastic.

She starts beating him about the head and shoulders with her purse, yelling incoherently. He guesses he does deserve this. She might be loose and not too bright, but she has feelings too. Eventually she runs out of energy.

She spits, "Go to hell, you cheating fuck!" and flounces off.

The guys down in the lube pit had come up to witness Casanova getting his just desserts. Pete can't stop laughing. Ken gives him a commiserating slap on the shoulder.

"You can only juggle so many women, Bender."

This is so unfair.


	3. Crystal

**Chapter Three**

**Crystal**

Bender's been avoiding Brewer's Ice Cream Shop as it is one of Missy's favorite haunts, but today he sees Allison sitting by the window and decides to risk it. He orders a rocky road waffle cone and slides into the seat across from her.

She looks up.

"Hey Al. Long time."

"Hi. I haven't seen you in a while."

"Yeah, I haven't been going over to Missy's anymore."He leans over and gives her a stage whisper, "Not since you and I made sweet, sweet love all night together in my room."

Allison covers her open mouth, stifling an exclamation and looks around to see if anyone heard.

"Me?" she squeaks.

"Yeah, that night I carried you to my house and made sure you didn't OD on that stuff. Apparently we made love all night. Anyway, that's what Missy decided to believe."

"Are you sad?"

"Me? Not really. Her suction cup mouth routine was getting old. You'd think pure sex would be fun, but after a while it's just more of the same."He is surprised to hear this coming out of his mouth. He's never thought it out, let alone told anyone, and now he's getting all confessional with Al. "Never thought I'd get tired of sex."

They eat their ice cream for a while.

"You still sitting out on your porch in the middle of the night?"

"Of course. That's when Pan calls the wood nymphs with his pipes."

"The who?"

"He calls me too. Calls me into the night, the dew, the grass. I like to feel grass under my bare feet."

Ah, some kind of nature hippie thing. He gets an image of her soft white feet and ankles wet with dew. That's a strange thought to have in his head.

Bender's ice cream is gone, so he pushes back his chair.

"I'll see you around, Al."

* * *

Without Missy dragging Bender around, he goes back to his bachelor ways of hanging with Todd and Ian. He has no reason to walk down Allison's street anymore so he doesn't see her either. Just the guys, always on the lookout for something fun... parties, shows, escapades. Ian has started moving in a certain party circle and wants Bender and Todd to join him on Saturday night. Todd, strangely distant, declines the invitation, but Bender is up for some fun after being trapped with the ball and chain that was Missy.

The party is at a warehouse near the interstate. When they get there, the place is cooking, people getting wild. Some guy does a stage dive and Bender helps support him with his upraised hands. Yeah, he's missed this.

Ian drags Bender outside, to a van with the back doors open.

"Hey man, you gotta try this. Amazing shit." Ian does some quick business with the van owners and comes back with a tiny bag of something white.

* * *

Bender is vibrating. His energy levels are so high he feels heat radiating out from him like he's the sun. Ian is gone, off with some girl. So Bender is left on the open floor in front of the band, thrashing. When the band steps down after their set, Bender finds himself alone in a sea of people he doesn't know. He allows himself to be jostled in the direction of the door. All of his crazy energy makes the slow shuffling claustrophobic. After what seems like ages, he gets out into the cool night. He goes around the side of the warehouse to piss and notices the grass, wet with dew. Like those times he sat with Allison on her porch. The image of her soft white feet and ankles wet in the grass comes into his head again.

Buzzing with unspent energy, he starts walking, fast, without any particular destination in mind.

* * *

Bender finds himself tracing the route to Missy's house, but when he gets there, he realizes he wouldn't want to see her even if they were still together. So many ideas are bouncing around in his head, it's hard to decide what to do. Finally he heads toward the river, with the vague idea of finding Todd down there. When he approaches Allison's street, the idea bursts into his head. That is the best idea ever! He should visit Al.

When he gets there, though, she's not on the porch. Knock on the door! He mounts the steps and happens to look over his shoulder in time to see a red car. That car has been following him, he knows it. But that thought only bounces around in his mind for a moment and then it's gone. He's here to see Allison.

As he walks across the porch, he realizes his boots are really loud and tiptoes the rest of the way. Doorbell? Knock? Or Doorbell? Or maybe knock. He knocks.

Allison opens the door a crack, then wider.

"Bender, what are you doing here?"

"Hey, Allison. Whatcha up to? You busy? Your folks home?" All this seems to come out of his mouth very fast. He looks around, discovers he's drumming his fingers on the doorjamb, stops.

She opens her mouth, preparing to answer, but he thinks of that red car and slips inside.

"Quick, close the door." He closes the door himself, pulling it out of her grasp. "I don't think they saw me. They've been following me for a while." He peers through the window in the door, sees nothing.

"So hey, what are you doing? You have paint on your hands. What have you been painting? Wanna do my portrait?" He laughs. It's like he can see everything at once... paint on her hands, television glow from the other room, piano by the door, the stack of mail on the side table, her pale face.

"Bender, what is wrong with you?"

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong, everything's perfect. Couldn't be better. I feel great."

Now he is playing with the keys of the piano with one hand, the other hand rummaging in his pocket.

"Bender! Stop!"

He yanks his hand away from the piano as if it might burn him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was special. Of course, my bad. I should have known. What are you doing tonight?" His other hand is finished rummaging, he has come up with a pack of cigarettes. His hands seem to be moving by themselves.

"You can't smoke in here!"

He jumps. "Oh man, I keep screwing up. I'll go outside, OK?" He puts his hand on the doorknob, then changes his mind. "No, they might still be out there. I'll wait."

"Who might be out there? You're making no sense."

"I think they started following me at the party. When I left. They're in two cars, I think, one blue, the other one red. They must know Ian gave me some. I don't know if they're cops or what, but they're definitely following me."

"What did Ian give you?"

"Some ice. Great stuff. It's pretty, looks just like those things in Superman's fortress of solitude. It's like crystals or something. I feel like Superman, too. You want some?"

"Bender, you have to go."

"Oh, man, you're busy. I'm sorry, I intruded. Bad manners on my part."

"No, I'm not busy, but you're on drugs. You need to go."

He feels alarm. "Oh God, what have I done, you think I'm some kind of druggie. I've never done this before, I swear. But no, that's cool, no drugs here, I understand." He starts backing toward the door.

"I'm sorry Allison. I don't know what I was thinking." His brain seems to make sense for a moment and he realizes what a fuck up this was. He needs to go. "I've probably lost them, I should be okay, no one should be following me now. I'll go, no problem."

He backs out. Allison closes the door behind him.


	4. Coming Down

**Chapter Four**

**Coming Down**

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. This isn't going the way he wanted it to go. Of course she doesn't want to be around him like this. He's walking fast again. He ends up at the fence at the riverside park. He slips under it and makes his way to their favorite bench. It's empty. He sits and lights a cigarette, but can't sit still. He begins pacing.

All of his euphoria is gone. Inside, he's racing like a motor about to overload. He can't stop thinking bad things. Allison's face when she closed the door on him. Missy hitting him with her purse. Sporto accusing him of lying in detention. That day when he spilled that paint. Other bad days at home with his father. With his mother. Vernon taunting him in the closet. Cherry saying goodbye. He cycles through these bad thoughts until he thinks he's going crazy.

Suddenly he feels trapped in this small clearing by the river. He gets back on the street, breaks into a run. He can't out run his thoughts. He wants to destroy things, tear the world apart, make the thoughts stop.

Ian. It's almost three, Ian should be home. He turns toward Ian's house. When he gets there he is out of breath. He bends over with his hands on his knees, starts coughing. Ian's bedroom light is on. He whistles their secret whistle. After a moment, Ian comes out to the porch.

"Bender man, where'd you go? I looked for you."

Bender doesn't know what to do, yell, cry, hit Ian, beg for help.

Instead of any of that, he growls out, between gritted teeth, "What the hell did you give me?"

Ian's face is blank. "Crystal. Didn't you know?"

Now he feels stupid for just taking a drug without asking about it first.

"Thanks bud. Thank you so much." His sarcasm drips hostility. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Ian? Why are you doing meth?"

"It's fun. Aren't you having fun?"

"No. No I am not having fun. This is hell."

"Bad trip," Ian sympathizes. "You need some downs, take the edge off."

"How can you be doing this? You know about Todd's cousin. She's dead."

Ian looks uncomfortable.

"She died speed balling it."

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing. You're an idiot." All the anger is drained out of him. "Ian, you know how dangerous this stuff is. Stop it. Promise me you'll stop. Please."

Ian shifts from foot to foot. "No, Bender. You can't tell me what to do anymore."

Bender suddenly finds himself punching Ian. Ian sprawls on the lawn. Bender follows him, tackles him, grabs his shirt front.

"You are so fucking stupid. I love you, man, don't do this. Don't do this." Bender lets him go, stands.

"Go," Ian says. "Don't come back."

* * *

Bender wanders the streets until he finally feels himself coming down, at eight in the morning. He's exhausted.

Work. Shit. He can't go to work like this. He's wrecked. He calls in, claiming a stomach bug.

He wakes at six that night, feeling worse than he ever has. When he looks in the mirror, he has dark circles under his eyes and looks like an old man. He feels battered, worn out, spent.

* * *

This time she is sitting on the porch.

His voice is a croak when he says, "Al, I'm sorry."

"You should be."

"I know it. I wasn't thinking straight."

"That's right," she says, "you were on drugs and acting stupid and crazy."

"That speed, it was a big mistake. Please forgive me, Al."

"You have to promise me- don't ever do it again."

"I promise," Bender says with great vehemence. "You wouldn't believe how bad I feel tonight."

"Good. You remember how you feel, next time someone offers you speed."

"Al, Ian is in deep. He tried to give me more drugs when I said I was feeling bad. He said it would fix everything, just take some more. That's how he's living his life now." Bender's voice breaks. "We've been friends since first grade. I've always been able to protect him. He won't listen to me."

"Sometimes, Bender, there's nothing you can do. C'mon, sit down. I'll get you some Advil."

When she returns with a glass of water and Advil, Bender notices her bare feet. He notices more. Her graceful hands. Her dark eyes.

"You're probably all stiff and knotted up. Let me give you a massage."

* * *

Bender gets back to work on Monday, still feeling shitty. Not just physically. Ian and Todd have been his best friends since first grade. They've always looked out for each other. Now Ian was pulling this shit.

Bender catches up with Todd after work.

"Bender, I've talked to him. This all started while you were with Missy."

Todd lights a cigarette.

"I talked to him as much as I could. He just won't listen. He won't listen to you either?"

"Well," Bender admits, "I did sort of punch him."

Todd snorts. "Sort of? Either you did or you didn't."

They've reached the fence into the park. They walk in silence down to their bench. When they are settled in, Todd continues the topic.

"I don't think there is much we can do, Bender. You punching him, me lecturing him, nothing. He's going to do what he's going to do."

"That's what Al says."

"Al?"

"Allison Reynolds. You know, we hung out together after detention?"

"The weird girl?"

Bender laughs. "Yes, the weird girl. She's smart, that one. She would have kicked me to the curb if I hadn't promised to stop doing speed."

"Kicked you to the curb? You guys aren't dating, are you?"

"No..." The thought of her bare feet comes to him again, how soft they must be to touch.

What is he daydreaming about her feet for, for god's sake. That's just weird. Why is he daydreaming about her at all?

"You got lost there, man. Do you like her?"

He hadn't thought about this. She's Allison, weirdo Al. Not girlfriend material.

"I think you like her," Todd says.

"No, we're just friends." He smells jasmine and sees her pale face.


	5. The River at Night

**Chapter Five**

**The River at Night**

Partying has lost its zest. It makes Bender think of Ian. He and Todd hang out down at the river, but it's not the same without Ian. Life without Ian leaves a big space he doesn't know how to fill.

Without Missy, he has a lot of time on his hands. Working at the Jiffy Lube is ok. Pete and Ken are great guys to work with. But it's getting monotonous, working down in the pit, one car after another. These thoughts are in his head as he makes his way to Del's Diner.

Del is in the kitchen, and gives Bender a wave through the order window. He settles himself on a stool at the counter. The waitress takes his order. Now she's good looking. He admires her figure until she bustles off to tend to other customers. He glances around. There's a community college circular and he idly picks it up. Maybe he could take mechanics classes. He is paging through it and something pops out at him. Allison's name. He looks more closely. She's going to be in a student art exhibition. He didn't know she was taking art classes. He carefully tears the announcement out. It's in two days.

* * *

When Bender arrives he feels out of place in his boots and jean jacket. There are students, but a lot of nicely dressed adults too. He enters a space sectioned off in the student center, white walls with bright spot lights over the paintings and sculptures. Everyone seems to be making a circuit, starting on his right, so he joins the slowly drifting crowd. He first looks at something that seems to be a combination of a cardboard box, a woman and an exploded paint truck. The head (if it's a head) is sort of crooked so he turns his own head a bit . No, this thing makes no sense to him.

He's looking at the third work, a sculpture, when Allison materializes. She looks as nervous as he feels.

"Hi," she squeaks. "How did you know?"

"I saw it in the college ad. You never told me you were taking classes."

"You never asked."

Bender returns his attention to the sculpture in front of him. It is a chicken. A very ugly chicken, but at least he can tell what it is.

"Where's yours, Al?" He hopes it isn't some kind of monstrosity like that cardboard box woman.

Feeling a bit more relaxed now that he has an escort, he follows Allison to a large painting. It is of the river at night, under a full moon. It feels like he could touch the rippling waves. The sky is dark but very clear. It's like everything is washed in silver highlights.

"This is nice, Allison. Not like that other weird shit."

They look at it some more.

"You planning on staying much longer?" Bender asks her.

"No. I only came because my professor got me to do the wine and cheese."

"Then let's blow this place."

"Just a second." She returns putting on a long black sweater thing. He notices now that she isn't wearing her usual monochrome frumpy stuff. She's in a nice black dress with a scarlet scarf.

Bender cleaves a path through the gently milling crowd. When they emerge into the night, it is warm and soft. He turns left, leading the way.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

"The river. Where else would we celebrate?"

* * *

"You should take off your shoes, Bender."

Allison is running her bare feet through the grass as they sit, looking out over the river. Bender looks at his boots and rejects that idea. He cracks open his third long neck. Allison is working on her second, which is maybe all she needs.

Yes, definitely that's all she needs because now she is dancing around in the grassy area, some kind of strange dance of her own. She's graceful, in an Allison way. She finally ends up flat on her back, spreadeagled. After a minute she returns to the bench.

"Here," he says as he plucks a grass stem from her messy hair. He is surprised by how soft her hair is. He brushes it gently back. Her dark eyes meet his. When she kisses him, all the things he has hidden from himself come out. He pulls her closer.

* * *

"I don't know," he says. "I kept thinking about your feet."

"Feet are important."

He hugs her tight. "Feet," he says, "are a weird thing to fall in love with."

"Feet channel energy. That's why I walk barefoot."

They skirt the small grove of trees and are making their way to Allison's house by the most direct route, past the rich kids' parking spots, which are empty. They come to the sidewalk and Allison stops to put on her shoes.

The car coasts to a stop behind them as Allison is hanging on to Bender, standing on one foot to replace her shoe. It has its lights off and engine cut, so when they turn to see Stubby and his two friends emerging from Stubby's Mustang, it is an utter surprise.

Bender backs away, pushing Allison behind him.

"Let go, Bender," she whispers.

He ignores her, focusing on the three guys advancing. He whips out his switchblade.

"No, Bender, don't!" Allison implores him.

"That's right, Bender, Don't." Stubby says, coming closer.

Knife wounds are assault with a deadly weapon. He folds his knife with one hand and stows it in his pocket.

"Just give us the girl," says one of the guys.

"We just want the bitch," says the other.

Allison is struggling to release herself from Bender's grip.

"I know how to fight," Allison hisses in his ear. "Let me go."

Still keeping his body between Allison and the advancing group, he lets go. He'll need both hands anyway. Allison backs up a little and stands a bit to his left.

Stubby comes on fast and they exchange a few blows. Bender is faster. He gives more than he gets, but Stubby is heavier and his throws are harder. Bender manages to get a kick to Stubby's stomach. When Stubby doubles over, gasping for breath, Bender sees Allison head butting her opponent, while the other guy is on the ground, obviously hit in the crotch. The head butted guy stumbles back, holding his nose, crying with pain.

Bender doesn't have time to think about this. He grabs Allison's hand and runs for the woods at the edge of the park. They race between the trees, the ground uneven and treacherous. He's aiming for the rail road cut on the other side of the trees. They come out suddenly, facing a fence. Bender gives Allison a boost up and she manages like a pro. He follows her, pulls her along with him into more trees. They come to the second fence that has come apart in one corner, so they duck under easily. Up a steep slope, and they are out on the dead end of a street.

He bends over, coughing and panting. Allison catches her breath first. Gotta quit smoking.

When he finally is able to breathe normally, he finds Allison smiling. She has a smear of blood on her forehead.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I think I broke his nose."

He receives her hug with great relief. They got away. Now he looks down and sees the blood. He inspects her forehead, but there is no wound.

"Where did he get you? You're bleeding up here." He gets out his bandana to dab at the blood.

"That's not my blood." Allison actually giggles. "I got him first."

* * *

As it happens, Allison's parents are out of town for the weekend, so they head to her house. In the bright light of her study lamp, Bender sits on Allison's bed and she inspects his injuries. Mainly he is bruised, but his lip is split and he'll have a black eye. She gives him an ice pack for his eye. When her inspection is finished and she clicks off the lamp, he pulls her onto his lap.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Allison laughs. "I took a self-defense class."

"Man, I bet those guys are regretting messing with you, Al."

She gingerly kisses his mouth, careful of his split lip. He doesn't care about his lip, just this kiss. When they come up for breath, he pulls her down onto the bed. She cuddles up to him, feeling wonderfully soft under his roaming hands. Then he twists the wrong way and the bruised spot on his side makes him gasp with pain. Allison gently pushes up his shirt and lays her cool hand on it. He closes his eyes, her soothing touch lulling him.

He wakes in a warm cocoon, Allison fitted into the curve of his body, his arm around her. He moves and his side aches so much he rejects the idea of getting up. Instead he studies Allison's pale porcelain skin and bushy dark hair.

When he wakes a second time, she is gone. He smells coffee and follows the scent to the Reynolds' well equipped kitchen. When he stumbles into the kitchen, she has pancakes ready.

"Nothing weird in these, is there?" Bender pokes at his stack suspiciously.

"These are optional." She pushes maple syrup towards him, but displays her own topping: Pixie Stix. She adds sausage links to their plates and pours orange juice.

"Great service. I think I'll stay here every night, just for the breakfasts."

"This is an equal opportunity house and men must take their turn making breakfast." She points her Pixie Stix at him.

They are startled by heavy knocking on the front door. When Bender comes up behind her, saying, "If it's Jehovah's Witnesses, tell them-" he stops. Two officers stand on the porch.

"I'm guessing you're John Bender?" the larger officer asks, looking at him seriously.

"Yeah, that's me. What's the problem, officer?" What has he done now? That they would come looking for him like this? He's glad his doobage is upstairs, in his jacket.

"Stanford Boardman claims you and this young lady assaulted him and his two friends unprovoked last night at the river." He looks at him carefully again. "I've come informally to see if we can sort this out. This is not the first time Boardman has started something he can't finish. Seems to me you came out just as much worse for wear as he did. And two against three aren't fair odds in my book, especially when one of the two is a young lady."

The smaller cop asks Allison, "Did you really head butt him? Is that how you broke his nose?"

"Smith," the larger officer says, "let me take care of this. Don't answer that, Miss. A nose was broken and we don't know how that happened, and if I have my way, we'll leave it at that. Now, do either of you want to press charges against Boardman and his gang?"

Allison shakes her head. Bender says, "No, sir," after a pause, marveling at this whole strange conversation.

"Good, I'm glad of that. You won't hear any more about this nonsense. I'm going to inform Mr. Boardman that if either of you turn up with the stuffing beaten out of you again, I _will_ encourage you to press charges against him next time. Have a good day." The two officers tip their hats and clump down the front steps.

When Allison closes the door, Bender heaves a great sigh of relief. "That was a first. I have never had the cops on my side before."

He snorts. "You broke his nose! Atta girl, that's the way to do things." He puts his arm around her as they return to the kitchen. "I think I'm going to like having you as my girlfriend."


End file.
